Newsgroups: rec.sport.pro-wrestling
From: hekunze@jeeves.uwaterloo.ca (Herb Kunze)
Subject: Wrestling TidBits - 07/14
Message-ID:
Sender: news@watdragon.uwaterloo.ca (USENET News System)
Organization: University of Waterloo
Date: Thu, 14 Jul 1994 14:08:03 GMT
Lines: 168
- The Observer reported a bit on the first days of the Vince McMahon
trial. Amongst the most interesting bits were:
- The defence claimed that McMahon never told anybody to use
steroids, but the prosecution claimed that Rick Rude would
testify that when he was headlining against Ultimate Warrior
McMahon told him to "get back on the juice" (Rude and his
wife were trying to have a child at the time so he stopped
using steroids). The defence is trying to make a case that
they couldn't help it if their employees were using steroids,
that they didn't support it and certainly didn't demand it,
and that they have tested for it for a while now. The prosecution
has yet to point out the fact that most WWF new-hires during the
80s were hired because they had the "look." The WWF wants to
establish that they gained nothing financially from their employees
using steroids (this is thought-provoking).
- The defence tried to paint Vince supplying Hogan with steroids
as one friend sharing an experience with another, ignoring that
there were illegalities involved.
- In an attempt to discredit a star witness of the prosecution,
the defence mentioned Hulk Hogan lying on Arsenio Hall and
elsewhere about his steroid use over the years. Instead of
the strong words that WWF employees have paid this action,
the defence pointed out that Hogan probably had to lie to
protect his livelihood from a media feeding frenzy. This
lends credence to rumours that Hogan was told to lie, although
he admittedly could have done whatever he wanted once he got
on the show.
- There was the usual confusion about steroid use being legal
during the time in question.
- Dr. George Zahorian was mentioned, with the prosecution reminding
us that he is a convicted drug dealer who was quite happily used
by the WWF's stars with full company support, and the defence
saying that, if they were going to do it anyhow, it was better
that a doctor would supply the guys rather than a black market dealer.
(Zahorian's defence took a similar approach and failed miserably.)
- The defence also completely exposed pro-wrestling, supplying
details of how matches are set up and worked and pointing out
that pro-wrestling is not competitive sport.
- Randy Culley (Moondog Rex), Tom Zenk, Terry Szopinski (Warlord),
and Tully Blanchard testified.
- Culley talked about the availability of steroids from Zahorian
and his use of them. The defence argued that his use of steroids
had nothing to do with his position in the company or his success
and that Vince actually wanted him to get smaller to be a member
of Demolition for a very short run early on. The prosecution
pointed out that "smaller" meant losing mass and gaining muscle
and that Culley did so by using steroids.
- Zenk testified that he'd last used steroids three weeks ago.
He had to fly in in between bookings on an All Japan tour.
He said that WWF brass told him that Zahorian had anything he
might need or want. He said Vince never told him to use steroids,
but admitted that he first used them in 1981 (the point being
that Vince would hardly have to tell somebody who was a dedicated
user anything). He was a hostile witness.
- Warlord testified that he had never used steroids in his life.
Okay, only joking. He admitted injecting other WWF wrestlers
and flushing the needles. Upon his arrival in the WWF, he was
also told by referee Dave Hebner that Zahorian had everything.
He said that when Vince got word about the Zahorian investigation
he told the wrestler to never travel with steroids. He also
said that he was told to stop using steroids after the Zahorian
trial and that he complied (;-)). He also admitted to being
on 18 months probation for a steroid possession charge.
- Blanchard admitted that he had used steroids and that he knew
about Zahorian before even working for the WWF. He said that
steroid use was pretty much the same in the NWA and the WWF
during his prime.
- WCW ran their pre-PPV angle this past weekend on a live broadcast of
WCW Saturday Night. They used a hotline gimmick, where fans could
call in and pick from amongst a few faces and a few heels to determine
a face vs. heel match to be the show's main event. They shamelessly
plugged the idea of having a Ric Flair vs. Sting re-match, with that
clearly being the planned match. All the faces (wrestlers & commentators)
were plugging this match like crazy and all of the heels were acting like
they hated the idea. Flair did some good psychotic microphone work.
Mr. T appeared on the show and it was announced that he would be at
Bash at the Beach to support Hogan.
The Flair vs. Sting match had a few occurrences that will impact
the PPV on Sunday. Sherri Martel was barred from the building (to
add to the Flair vs. Sting promotion). They went to the trouble
of showing a skit where Sherri was dressed up like Fifi, Flair's
"maid" on "A Flair for Gold" from last year, and trying to get in
the building. In the end, she ran out of the audience, dressed
like a man and saved Flair, who was in Sting's Scorpion. She
raked Sting's eyes and he never got back into the action. On
the Sunday show, they mentioned that Sting had an eye injury as
a result of the attack and that they'd have details next Saturday
(see below for details). When Hogan ran into the ring, his knee
was clipped by Flair and he sold it for the rest of the show.
It seems quite likely that he'll come into the Bash match with
an "injured knee." Everything to this point had pointed to a
title change, but now it's a little fuzzy, in my opinion.
- The WWF announced the Undertaker vs. Undertaker match for SummerSlam
this past weekend in a very strange way. They had led the fans to
believe that Ted DiBiase's Undertaker (Brian Lee) was the original
Undertaker (Mark Callaway). There were some subtle references to
the new UT being a fake, like Paul Bearer saying he had spoken with
*his* Undertaker, but it certainly hadn't been established that there
were two of them. Unfortunately, the WWF Magazine had already
announced a UT vs. UT match and Domino's is serving pizza in special
boxes with the match announced, so the WWF was probably pressed to
announce it. It seems like Mark Callaway won't appear on camera
until the PPV, even though most of us expected a "showdown" angle
to fuel the match and set the record straight. Todd Pettingill's
announcement of the match played up that he had no idea how the
Undertaker could face...the Undertaker. This was strange promotion
for the WWF.
- There have been frequent complaints about the tag team situation in
both WCW and the WWF. Have no fear, the WWF is springing a new awesome
duo on us: Mabel & Typhoon.
- The local paper reports that Gorilla Monsoon and his wife will establish
a scholarship fund in honour of their son, Joe, who was in a fatal car
accident last week (as already reported on the net).
- Bull Nakano will debut in the WWF on the 08/01 RAW taping. She will
be managed by Luna Vachon, with the story line being that Luna brought
her in after her loss to Alundra Blayze.
- WCW has Bash at the Beach on Sunday from Orlando. Line-up has:
- Ric Flair vs. Hulk Hogan for the Unified World Title
- Cactus Jack & Kevin Sullivan vs. Paul Orndorff & Paul Roma
for the WCW Tag Titles
- Steve Austin vs. Rick Steamboat for the US Title
- Terry Funk & Bunkhouse Buck vs. Dustin Rhodes & Arn Anderson
- Vader vs. Guardian Angel
*- Johnny B. Badd vs. Steve Regal for the TV Title
- Larry Zbyszko vs. Paul Levesque
The TV Title match had previously been announced as Sting vs. Regal,
but due to the eye injury suffered this past Saturday night, word
has it that the match will be changed to Badd vs. Regal, with a
bandaged Sting appearing at ringside. I suppose they want to do
something like this to put heel heat on Flair and Sherri with the
live crowd.
Shaquille O'Neal, George Foreman, Mr. T, and quite possibly others
will appear at the PPV. T is expected to be in Hogan's corner and
Shaq will present the title belt to the winner of the main event.
Antonio Inoki and a squad of Japanese fans will also be in attendance.
Post-PPV marriages will include Flair vs. Sting, Vader vs. Angel,
Steamboat vs. Austin, Rhodes vs. Anderson, Badd vs. Regal,
Orndorff & Roma vs. Bagwell & Patriot, Pillman vs. Eaton.
Clearly Anderson will turn heel on Rhodes and come on side with
Ric Flair. Arn has talked about creating a new Four Horsemen in
the future, including himself, Flair and Curt Hennig.
- WCW has a Clash of the Champions on 08/25/94.
- The WWF has SummerSlam on 08/29/94. The line-up includes:
- Bret Hart vs. Owen Hart for the WWF Title in a cage match
- Undertaker (Mark Callaway) vs. Undertaker (Brian Lee)
- Tatanka vs. Lex Luger
The story line leading to the final match above will tease a heel
turn by Luger.
- WCW has Fall Brawl in 09/94. Tentative line-up includes:
- Terry Funk & Bunkhouse Buck & Arn Anderson & Ming
vs. Dusty Rhodes & Dustin Rhodes & Nasty Boys in a War Games match
- Videos: I have posted something about the availability of videos.
If you missed it, I'll send it to you in e-mail upon request.
Basically, all of the tapes in my video collection are available.
If you are interested in getting a copy of VideoMarinepiad I or
VideoMarinepiad II, drop me some e-mail.
Herb...